A/N: I am going to put a content warning here for the whole story, mentions of unhealthy relationships, mental health issues, and fighting/blood throughout the story. If any of those make you uncomfortable to read, I suggest looking at different stories. If there are any Sindarin words, the transaltions will be at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 1

I pull against the stone in my palm with my ring and middle fingers. It's smoothness always brings me an odd sense of comfort and strength. A sense I very much need right now. I jerk forward as Dick bangs above my head on the other side of the door I'm sitting against. Breathe in 2, 3, 4… Out 2, 3, 4.

His footsteps fade as he turns and takes a few steps away from me and my only protection at the moment, something he'll eventually break through. If I can get past him and down the stairs, I'll basically be free and able to give him time to cool off. Our second story bathroom sits at the top of the stairs just inside our front door.

You've got this. Standing, I turn and brace myself. The wood of the door is hard against my forehead and the doorknob is cool in my palm. I take one last breath then rip the door open and sprint as fast as my feet will carry me. Pain shoots through my scalp and my centre of gravity is knocked off balance as I'm pulled back, then thrust forward. My stomach drops as I arc over the first few steps. Adrenaline bursts from my chest as my hands shoot forward to try and catch myself; but it's useless.

The middle 6 steps of the stairs are painful, and the fall feels never-ending. My scalp is throbbing, my shins sting from the sharp edges, and my right palm is definitely friction burnt. I catch a glimpse of the last steps and tense, preparing to hit headfirst.

Ugh. The air rushes from my lungs as my back, then head, make contact with the hard ground. The light behind my eyelids is too painful so I keep them closed and focus on trying to catch my breath for the time being. It takes a moment to breathe somewhat normally again and for the ringing in my ears to subside. I let go of the sides of my head and try to relax my body by stretching out flat. A wave of dizziness causes my head to roll to the side. Something prickly tickles my cheek and my eyes and brows scrunch in confusion.

Grass? I didn't think I'd gone far enough to make it out the door. I sit up quickly and instantly regret it; nausea overwhelms me. I brace myself, palms flat on the ground, and it's made clear that I'm definitely outside. The grass is cool and damp. My eyes finally open and I panic for a whole new reason.

A small clearing with green grass and scattered, tall, old trees surround me. Definitely not the lonely young maple tree and well trimmed grass boulevard in front of my downtown townhouse. I can't keep it together anymore; my breathing quickens and my vision blacks.

Gentle, almost calming, bouncing pulls me back to consciousness. The repetitive sound of hooves against dry dirt is the first thing I notice. Then I feel arms tense slightly around me and the peace is quickly replaced with panic, again. Unthinkingly, I jerk forward which startles the horse and my riding companion. The man tries to keep me, and the reins, steady but between my struggle and the horses bucking, I fall to the ground.

I'm starting quite the collection of bruises. I don't have much time to think anything else before I have to roll to the side to avoid being trampled. I push myself to my feet ignoring the sharp stones digging into my right palm and knees. I note how beautiful the horse is, well kept and a rich brown colour, but that's all I have time to see before I take off toward the trees beside us.

"Aye, halt! Stop her. Fetch her!" A deep voice calls and I push myself harder. The terrain is different here than where I woke up. The grass is longer and there are many more trees. I wonder where I am or how far we've gone from where I was originally… dropped? What even happened? I slow and try to put the pieces together. I blacked out, but before that? I fell… no, I was pushed. Dick pushed me down the stairs. And somewhere between the last few stairs and the ground I ended up here.

I stop and sigh, bringing my fingers up to massage my temples. Something large and rough grabs my wrists. I whip my head up and come face to face with a horrid looking being. Its skin is leathery and a greyish purple colour. Its hair is sparce, ears are jagged and pointy, and its teeth are sharp.

I barley have time to scream before its head is severed from its body. I'm frozen, hands tucked to my chest, as it falls to the ground and the man from moments ago sheaths his sword. Sword. I look up to him, then back down to the creature, then back to him; his armour clad hand outstretched to me. Armour. I follow the hand upward with my eyes taking in the metal bracers and steel chest plate.

"Milady?" My eyes snap to his. I take a small step back. His gaze shifts to the creature and mine follows. "Come with us if you wish to avoid further encounters with the orcs." Orcs? I look back to the man and lower my hands to my sides. Surely if he wanted to kill me, he would have by now. "We must make haste if we wish to avoid travelling after nightfall." I have no better options at the moment. I let him help me up onto the horse and we take off toward the path again.

"So where are we going?" I ask but get no response. "How long will it take?" I try, but again get no response. Okay, no conversation then. I decide for now to just take in the scenery in hopes I'll remember something in case I need to make another run for it.

Eventually the trees become fewer and fewer, and a structure appears in the distance. The closer we get, the clearer the giant stone walls become. As we approach, two giant wooden doors open for us. The structure is massive, some kind of giant wall, and I consider pinching myself because there's no way this is real.

Once the doors are closed again behind us the men dismount from the horses and they hand the reins to a few boys I assume are the stable hands. The guard I was riding with helps me down and motions for the crowd that has formed to let us through. He leads us through some cobblestone streets and it's not long before were standing before a handsome man wearing a crown. He is fit, with shoulder length brown wavy hair, and a trimmed beard. The gold and silver of his crown look more subtle than I imagine a crown would look but it suits him. The guards bow and I quickly follow their lead.

When I straighten, he is looking at me perplexed. His eyes linger on my face for a moment before taking in the rest of me. Suddenly I feel very out of place. My lavender hoodie and dark blue skinny jeans stick out like a sore thumb. His eyes return to my face before he takes a few steps in my direction.

"Your name?" His strong voice asks. I want to answer but something tells me not to say anything yet and my mouth stops cooperating. The man keeps his calm and steps back. He turns and addresses the few guards in the room. "Clear the hall." Within moments it's just me, him, and one guard who I assume must be his personal guard. He nods and the guard leaves too. He turns away from me and holds out his hand.

My mouth drops open slightly at the mesmerizing figure who joins us. She has beautiful long brown hair, dark grey eyes, and pointed ears. She almost appears to be glowing. I watch as he places a gentle kiss on her cheek and for some reason it makes me feel safer. Their attention returns to me, and they close the distance, coming to stand side by side in front of me.

"I am Aragorn, and this is my wife Arwen." I bow again, unsure what I'm supposed to do since my words are failing me. There's an awkward pause, as they presumably wait for my name, before Arwen speaks.

"Let us head to one of the sitting rooms and get comfortable." I nod and follow them deeper into the castle. They walk side by side, quietly exchanging a few words in a language I can't understand. The halls are huge and made of smooth stone, everything looks polished… new. It's beautiful but also grander than anything I've ever seen. 'Jesus, where am I?' The wall to my right has a lovely stained glass window that reflects tiny rainbows on the floor in the last light of the day.

"You are in the kingdom of Arnor." Arwen's voice answers. I snap my mouth shut, not realizing I'd spoken my question aloud. I look forward just in time to see Aragorn glance from Arwen to me. She gives me a soft smile then continues to a door on our left. Inside we all take a seat around a small wooden table. There's another moment of awkward silence before Arwen speaks again.

"How should we address you?"

"Lilah." They both seem bemused by my words, so I vomit some more of them. "I mean my name is Delilah, but my friends call me Lilah." I clench my jaw to keep myself from spilling any more.

"What brought you to our kingdom Delilah?" Aragorn finally speaks to me.

"To be honest I'm not sure how I got here. One moment I was in my home and the next I was outside on the grass passing out. When I came to your soldiers were carrying me here on your beautiful horses and I…" I cut myself off and look back up at them. "I'm not sure. I don't even know where here is, there's no kingdoms where I'm from." I cringe and try to convince myself to stop talking before I say something to get myself killed. Aragorn and Arwen look at each other with concern.

"We should speak with Gandalf." Aragorn says, looking to Arwen. Her mouth tightens as she thinks.

"I am not certain when we'll see him again. Perhaps we should go to Ada. He may be of some help." Aragorn nods then looks to me.

"We will leave at dawn. I will send someone with a change of clothes. Excuse me, I have manners to settle."

"No need. She can come with me. I shall find her something suitable." They both stand and Arwen extends her hand to me. I look down at my clothes before placing my hand in hers. I blindly follow her through a few more halls until we reach what I assume to be her dressing quarters. I fidget uncomfortably with the cuff of my sweater sleeve while she sorts through some dresses.

The first one she pulls out is a black and red scoop neck dress with long flowing sleeves. In her other hand she holds a light blue dress in a similar style. Both are long and the ends pool on the floor. They also look really expensive.

"Oh no, I couldn't." I gently shake my head. "Those look lovely, and I'd hate to ruin them on the trip." She nods and replaces the dresses before taking a step back to survey her clothes again. "Do you have any pants? I assume we'll be travelling by horse again…"

"Hmm. Yes, you will." 'So, I guess she's not coming too.' I hear a quiet chuckle. "No, I'm needed here in Aragorn's absence. If we knew the length of our stay, I may be able to come but who knows what Ada will say when he meets you." I nod once and she returns to her clothes.

She brings over a pair of ash grey jeans, a long sleeve beige top, and a pair of knee high riding boots. I arrange the clothes in my arms while she heads back to her rack. The clothes feel a little stiff compared to my stretchy jeans but I'm thankful for them nonetheless. It'll be nice to blend in a bit more. She comes back to me once more with an over coat. It's a beautiful muted dark blue that has a silver design on the sleeves. The bottom half of the sleeves are flowy and flare out at the elbow, while the bottom portion of the coat resembles a shirt with a slit up the front.

"Thank you, this is beautiful."

"The riding dress will keep you warm, while remaining formal enough to be travelling with the king." The king. It didn't really hit me until now that I've been in the presence of an actual king. I meet Arwen's eyes. And a queen. I quickly lower my eyes and bow.

"Thank you again." When I look up Arwen is smiling softly at me.

"Of course. Now, let's get you to bed so you may rest before your journey." I follow her once again to a room not far from hers. It's a simple room. It only contains a bed, night table, and desk to place travel bags. I fold and set the clothes on the desk before wishing her a good night. Nearly the moment I fall on the bed I'm out, exhausted from the events of the day.

I shoot upright, panting and trying to catch my breath. Darkness consumes the room, still to early for light to be creeping in. It doesn't help the horrible feeling I have. It must have been a nightmare, but I can't for the life of me remember what happened in it. A shudder runs down my back and the desperation for some light grows stronger.

Still blind, I set my feet on the floor and feel my way to the window. Drawing aside the covers floods the room with pale blue. My eyes adjust quickly, and the twilight of the sky brings me some comfort. It also reminds me Aragorn will want to leave soon. There's probably not enough time to go back to sleep, and I don't think I could even if there was.

I take a deep breath of the fresh air then pull myself away from the window. The floor is cold as I walk to the desk and grab today's outfit. I bring it over to the little light streaming through the window and do my best to dress in semi-darkness. Just as I'm about to open the door to leave there's a soft knock.

"Oh um, hello." I say to the unfamiliar woman on the other side.

"Good morning milady. I was just coming to help you dress… but it looks like we can go straight to the stables." She says unfazed. I look back sadly at my clothing folded on the bed. I wish I could bring it but I have no bag to carry them in. Hopefully they keep them here and I can get them back at some point. I turn back to the slender woman.

"Actually, is there somewhere I could… relieve myself first?"

"Oh, of course! Follow me."

By the time I'm finished, and we've walked to the stables the sun is just starting to peak over the horizon. I watch as Aragorn ties a bag to the side of the brown horse I was riding yesterday. Just to the side, the guard prepares a black and grey horse.

"Milady, you can ride with me again today." The guard catches my attention and Aragorn pauses what he's doing.

"I trust you slept well." He says to me. I pause briefly before replying.

"I did thank you. I hope you and Arwen did as well." He nods at me in response.

"We're set to depart. The trip to Rivendell should take just over a week if we make as few stops as possible. Each horse is equip with food and water for the journey." Aragorn says as they help me atop the black horse. The guard, I should really ask his name, climbs up behind me while Aragorn mounts the brown horse. We trot towards the path and take off running just as the sun makes its appearance. It's beautiful and it feels like I'm in a scene from a movie.

The first few days of our journey are quiet and uneventful but incredibly gorgeous. The grass is deep green, and the trees grow tall and strong, but mostly I've fallen in love with the sun sets and rises. Not to mention the stars, I've never seen anything like them. There's too much light pollution in my busy city back home. I wonder if I'll find a way back there. Dick has got to be mad as hell right now. I shudder at the thought of seeing him anytime soon. Sleeping on the ground might be a small price to pay for this peace.

"Would you like to try milady?" Beregond, as I learned his name is, offers me the reins. I look over my shoulder at him and he nods encouragingly. I face forward and hesitantly grab onto the leather straps. Surprisingly nothing changes, the horse doesn't even falter. A giant smile breaks out on my face.

"I'm doing it!" I call out. Aragorn looks back at us and I swear I see a small smile touch his face. I squeeze my legs around the horse and let out a small laugh as we fly past Aragorn. A second set of hooves quickening tells me he's sped up as well.

Our time passes mostly the same. We wake early each morning, quickly grab some food and water, then we get on the road. We ride until it's almost dark, we find somewhere semi-sheltered to eat some dinner, then we sleep for a few hours. The next day we get up and do it all again. There's a tentative trust as no one's made a move against the other but it's obvious we're all still cautious of what we can share. It makes for quiet evenings around the fire.

Even thought the sleeves of Arwen's riding dress are long and cover most of my hand piece, the ring on my middle finger peaks out. It's quite unique really. The plain gold band attaches to a thin gold chain with 3 diamonds in it, that connects to a gold bracelet. On top of my hand the bracelet comes to a point while on the inside it connects to two thin gold chains. Those chains connect to a cat's eye alexandrite stone that sits in the palm of my hand. Aragorn's noticed it and his unreadable expression while he stares at it makes me uncomfortable. I pull the sleeve down over my hand and rub at the stone. I try to get comfortable on my side and let sleep take me.

"We should arrive just before dusk if we depart soon." Aragorn's hushed voice wakes me.

"Shall I wake her, my king?" It's quiet for a moment.

"Let her sleep, she doesn't seem accustom to this way of travel."

"No need, I'm awake." I say pushing myself up into a sitting position. "I just need a moment, then we can leave." I say walking away to find a spot to relieve myself. By the time I return Aragorn and Beregond have the horses ready to go. "Shall we?" I ask making my way to the black and grey horse. Both men nod and we set out for what sounds like our last day of travelling. Nervousness at the upcoming change in our routine settles in my stomach.

The day simultaneously flies by and drags on. I almost think we're not going to make it as the sun starts lowering in the sky. We probably have an hour of light left when the most beautiful place I've ever seen comes into view. The architecture is grand and elaborate. The sun setting in the background only makes the place look that much more magical, like it's radiating. It looks like a dream land. I flinch when I pinch myself and both men give me a questioning look. I shrug in response and look back to the… town?

Aragorn leads our way in and a tall man with long dark brown hair and pointy ears greets us. Peculiar. I stay quiet while we all dismount and Aragorn steps forward. Someone comes to grab our horses and takes them away.

"Elessar." The man says fondly. Aragorn shifts slightly in response.

"Lord Elrond."

"And who is this?" The man, Elrond, turns to me. I rub the stone in my palm nervously. It draws Elrond's attention.

"I'm Delilah." I say trying to bring his attention back up to my face. No one has mentioned the jewelry yet, but I haven't seen anything like it on anyone else either, and it's already gotten me a few looks.

"Welcome to Imladris, Delilah." He says with his palms open in a welcoming gesture. "The hour grows late and I'm sure your travels have taken their toll. Come, eat while some rooms are prepared."

Elrond leads us to a sitting room where plenty of fresh food is laid out for us. I try to keep myself polite but after so long on the road, I can't help myself and I put a little of everything on my plate. No one says anything about it.

"We come seeking your guidance." Aragorn… or Elessar, I'm not quite sure, starts.

"Tomorrow. I'm certain you're all tired. Rest tonight and we can convene in the morning." Elrond stays with us and makes small talk with Aragorn until we have all had our fill. After that he leads us each to our own rooms. Even with the sun gone, everything still seems to glow. Moonlight shines through the large windows of the room I was assigned and reflects off the white bedding.

I take a moment to take in the room. Somehow it feels alive, the sensation is near impossible to describe. A night gown catches my eye and I waste no time changing into it. I climb into the inviting bed and fall asleep facing the open window and starry sky.

A soft peach glow and pleasant warmth wake me. I enjoy the moment of peace before blinking against the bright light. The morning is just as lovely here, if not more so, than the sunrises of the road. Everything is light and surrounded by a soft dreamlike haze. I push myself up to a sitting position supposing it's time to go find the others. The sooner this meeting is over with the sooner I can explore.

There's a gentle knock on my door then a slender woman enters and places some clothing on the edge of my bed. I thank her before she leaves, then I get to work dressing. The dress is similar to the ones Arwen offered me yesterday, floor length and pale blue with long flowy sleeves. There's no mirror but the dress makes me feel pretty.

I should have asked for directions. Outside my room the hall extends in both directions. I think we came from the left yesterday so that's the direction I decide to go. Everything is so open, large window after large window line the walls. I could spend forever here. The detailing on the pillars between windows reminds me of vines and leaves, and the stone they're made of is smooth and cool.

"Did you rest well?" I startle at Elrond's voice and pull my hand back to my side.

"I did, thank you. It's beautiful here by the way." I offer a gentle smile.

"It is." He smiles in return. "Nature has a way of bringing peace when it is left to thrive." An odd statement, but I guess it's true. "Elessar is waiting in the sitting room. Shall we join him?" Aragorn? Elrond's hand is outstretched to me. I smile, nod, and walk by his side as he leads the way.

Nervousness grows in my stomach with each step. I'd like to believe these men can get me home but I'm 99% sure I'm far, far away from home. No one dresses this way or has houses… castles… like these, and I haven't seen a car or electricity anywhere yet. I accidently bump into Elrond not having noticed he stopped, too lost in my own thoughts.

"I'm sorry."

"All is well." He responds and offers a seat to me. Aragorn watches as I join him at the small round table followed by Elrond. "Delilah, how did you come to end up in Rivendell?" I glance to Aragorn who gives the smallest nod of approval.

"Well, as I told Aragorn, I'm not really sure. I… fell down my stairs in my apartment back home and somewhere along the fall I ended up on the grass here." I subconsciously rub the stone in my palm and stop again when both men follow my movement. "I passed out and when I came too, Aragorn's men had my on horseback riding toward him. To be honest I'm not really sure where here is… or how far away from home I am. I don't recognize anything here." My gaze wanders to his pointed ears as he turns his head to give Aragorn a concerned look.

"This is Middle-Earth." Elrond offers.

"You mean Earth?"

"Middle-Earth." He repeats gently, I swallow.

"What's the date?"

"We are in the fourth age." He says patiently. My mind goes balance. I take a slow deep breath. So definitely not home. My gaze is drawn back to his pointed ears. "I presume there are no elves where you are from?"

"Elves?" I squeak out. Elves only exist in fairy tales. My breathing shallows and quickens.

"Yes, I am an elf, and Lord of Rivendell. It is a sanctuary for many, thought they are primarily elves as well." The edges of my vision darken and focusing on any one thing becomes difficult. I vaguely note a worried look cross Lord Elrond's face before a pair of hands try to keep me upright.

A cool damp cloth against my forehead brings be back and I blink open my eyes. Aragorn is holding my back and arms while Lord Elrond gently moves the cloth from my forehead to my temple. I take a few more deep breaths before sitting up straighter. Aragorn releases me and Lord Elrond moves back to give me space.

"I apologize." I say embarrassed. "This is… There's… I'm very far from home. None of this… my home is very different." I try to be polite and not question their entire existence.

"Perhaps we should take a break. I'm afraid I'll need some time to try finding a way home for you." I nod, still disbelieving, at Lord Elrond's suggestion.

"How about a walk through the gardens?" Aragorn offers.

"That would be lovely, thank you." Fresh air is a good idea.

"I'll take my leave for now." Lord Elrond says, leaving Aragorn and I. Aragorn leads the way to the gardens, and we walk through the vibrant colours in silence. I briefly question if the air has magical properties here because it's doing wonders in terms of making me feel better. For the second time today, I bump into my guide. When I look up to him, he wears the biggest smile I've seen him wear yet.

"Legolas! Gimli!" he calls ahead of us. I follow his gaze and watch as two men I haven't seen yet approach us. One is shorter than me by about a foot. He's got long thick red hair and a beard. I don't fail to notice the intimidating axe strapped to his back and I take a cautious step back before looking at the other man.

He brings new meaning to the word ethereal. His presence alone gives off an air of power and grace. He's tall and slender yet still looks strong. His blue eyes and blonde hair seem to glow like everything else here. Under small braids on the side of his head sit pointed ears. He must be an elf as well then. Aragorn takes a step forward and the blonde man rushed to meet him. Both have fond smiles on their faces as they clasp each others' shoulders.

"Legolas, my friend, I've missed you."

"As I have you." Legolas' eyes shine at his friend.

"And Gimli, how have you been?" They release each other and he turns to face the shorter man.

"Aye, well my friend." Gimli says with a heavy accent.

"What are you two doing here?" Aragorn asks, looking between the two. So engrossed in their reunion, they don't even remember or notice me. It's clear they're all good friends with how comfortable they seem to be with each other.

"We heard word you were travelling to Rivendell, and we were close by." Legolas answers for them both.

"And who is this?" Gimli nods in my direction. Aragorn and Legolas look to me as well. Legolas' expression turns unreadable.

"I'm Delilah, a guest of Aragorn." I look to him hoping it's okay I said that.

"Shall we head in so you can tell me of all your adventures?" Aragorn suggests. The two men agree enthusiastically.

"I think I'm going to stay out a while longer." I say. "Maybe I'll find Lord Elrond when I'm done to see if he's found anything." Aragorn assesses me before nodding and leaving with his friends.

"Nice to meet ya' lass." Gimli says as he passes.

"Lovely to meet you." Legolas says politely following them inside. I smile and nod at them both before collapsing onto a stone bench. More elves? And what… a dwarf? I lean forward and put my head in my hands as I try to process what's happening to me.

Maybe Dick got to me and I'm in a coma right now. There's no way this is real, it has to be a dream. Things like this don't happen. I sit and listen to the sounds of the forest for most of the morning. I don't really notice the time pass until Lord Elrond approaches and the sun hits his face from the opposite direction it rose.

"Have you found anything?" I ask and stand to face him.

"Not yet." He shakes his head regretfully. "However, I have sent word to a friend who may be of some help. In the meantime, food and drink have been served if you would like to join us." I nod and follow him back inside.

I sit quietly through most of the meal just observing the men talk animatedly with each other. Gimli manages to drink and tell stories about some glimmering caves at the same time. He also frequently mentions some kind of count that he's winning to which Legolas continuously gives him a look of incredulity.

I'm just starting to relax and get comfortable around them when a sharp pain flashes through my head. I bring my hands up to cover my face and let out a little groan. I feel a hand on my shoulder then hear Lord Elrond's voice.

"Legolas, could you get a tea from the healing house and bring it down the hall? I'm going to help Delilah to her room for some rest." The pain fades and I lift my head and look to Legolas. His gaze is intense as he assesses me.

"I'm alright, the pain has mostly passed now." I look to Lord Elrond hoping not to ruin their afternoon reunion.

"You've had a long couple days. You should rest, if even just for a short while." It's hard to say no to his kind countenance and I find myself getting up to follow him. Aragorn and Gimli stay put but Legolas leaves in the opposite direction of us.

On our way to my room Lord Elrond explains that his friend is in Gondor helping repair the city. We can either wait here for him or we can try to go to him. He also says we can all talk through the options once I'm feeling better.

I've just laid down on the bed when Legolas arrives. Lord Elrond thanks him, takes the tea, and brings it to me. I bring it toward my face and inhale, it smells subtly sweet. It's deceiving. The first sip is bitter, but I try to push through it. The whole time Legolas stands to the side watching me. His expression is difficult to read so I try to ignore him.

"Rest, we will talk more when you wake." Wake? Lord Elrond helps me lay back after taking the mug. I only get to see him stand and reach Legolas before I'm out.

The air is smoky and heavy. There's a loud ringing sound of heavy chains thudding against something before they clank to the ground. The sound makes me jump. Oddly, there's no smell here. Though I move past that quickly as an oppressive feeling spreads over. It's like I'm trying to look through a dark haze as I whip my head around. Where am I?

To my right, lines of horrid disfigured being shuffle one after another attached by cuffs and chains while trying to finch away from whips. I take a step back and then a sound to my left draws my attention. I whip my head around again and my hair fans out dramatically, almost in slow motion. Screams. Battle cries. Living trees being set on fire and hacked apart by stone. I move in that direction to try and help. There's got to be something I can do, even if I'm just one girl.

Rough, reverberating whispers in a language I can't understand freeze me before I've even moved an inch. Tension starts in my toes and rushes up towards my chest. I move to face forward again. The black shadow I'm staring at has no form but the malevolent feeling radiating off it alone is enough to steal my breath.

Everything around me disappears and this black haze holds my complete attention. The silence and tunnel vision starts to mess with my perception, and it looks like the haze steps toward me. I lose focus momentarily as a wave of dizziness washes over me. When I regain my equilibrium and look up, the black haze and rushing me.

Clean, fresh air graces my lungs and tongue as I suck in as much air as I can. I try to find purchase with my hands flat on the bed, bolting upright so quickly has made my head spin. I close my eyes and try to regain a steady breathing pattern.

My body sags as my breathing slows and I bring my left hand up to run through and smooth back my hair. The coldness of my fingers is shocking and somehow comforting, so I bring them to rest against my warm forehead and tired eyes.

"Are you alright?" I jump slightly at Lord Elrond's voice, still shaken from my horrific dream, and not expecting anyone to be in here with me. I nod slowly still out of it.

"Just a bad dream." I look at him briefly before lowering my eyes to my left hand. I open it, palm up, and rub the stone with my right thumb searching for comfort in its smoothness. I hear Elrond rise from his seat and move to be at my side.

"That's a unique piece." He says looking down at my hands. There's a moment of silence before his hands come down and wrap around my left one, closing and trapping the stone against my palm and out of view. "Shall we rejoin the others?" I can only offer him a small nod, a feeling of unease still lingering in my body.